Page 35 of Rejected Mate Bride
Chapter 16 - Camden
Camden stayed awake all night watching the house in case Alpha Sier’s men returned to take Flora away. His mind raced with thoughts of how close he had been to losing her again, and he swore he would never allow it to happen while he still had breath in his body. He had no idea where their lives were leading, but he knew for a fact that his destiny was intertwined with hers.
As the sun came up, he went back inside and waited at the foot of the stairs. Sofia always woke up before her mother did and went in to wake her up, but Camden knew Flora needed her rest. When he heard Sofia padding out of her room, he called up the stairs gently.
“Sof,” he said. “Can you come down here, please?”
The young girl’s head appeared at the top of the stairs, blond hair sticking up as she rubbed her eyes sleepily.
“Let’s let your mom sleep in. Do you want some waffles?”
The thought of syrup made Sofia smile, and she came down to greet Camden with a hug. His heart swelled at the gesture, knowing that she didn’t owe him her affection. He and Sofia went to the kitchen, where he whipped up a batch of waffles while she chatted. After years of living alone or with his squad, it had taken a while to grow accustomed to the constant noise that came with sharing a home with a four-year-old. Now he couldn’t imagine being without it.
By the time Flora came downstairs, it was nearly time for lunch. Camden was drinking coffee on the couch while Sofia played with puzzles at the coffee table. He had light music playing through the portable speaker, and the windows were open. For Camden, it served a dual purpose: he could hearanyone approaching, and the light breeze coming in through the windows helped keep him awake after his night watch.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” Flora asked. “I’ve slept the whole day away!”
“You were tired, Mom,” Sofia said, matter-of-factly.
“She’s right,” Camden said with a smile. “You needed your rest.”
Flora sat down on the couch next to him and sighed, her whole body relaxing into the cushions. He reached out and took her hand tentatively. To his surprise, she grasped it firmly in her own hand.
“I wanted to wait until you woke up,” Camden continued. “But I need to run over to talk to my uncle today.”
“About….”
“Last night,” Camden said. “You know that I would do anything to keep you safe and prevent you from having to leave, but I can’t stay awake all day and night forever. I need to ask the alpha to increase the security around Silverrose.”
Flora gulped and nodded. Camden could tell she was still shaken by what had happened last night. Her fear of being forced to go back to her adoptive parents and Alpha Sier was very real. If she were kidnapped and taken back to Ironbrand, she was sure to receive cruel treatment at their hands. Camden refused to entertain the thought of it.
“I’ll be back soon,” he assured her.
After witnessing her fighting off her attackers, Camden felt more protective of Flora than ever before. He vowed that nothing like that would ever happen to her again. If he needed to set aside his conflict with Harold about the running of the pack to prioritize her safety, that was what he was going to do.
***
“What are you doing here?” Harold asked gruffly as Camden entered his office.
“I’m here to ask for help.”
Camden used the most deferential tone possible, bowing his head slightly as he spoke. His uncle had always responded well to signs of respect.
“Help, huh?” he exhaled forcefully. “What makes you think you have the right to ask me for anything after the danger you brought down on my pack? You think because you’re family that the rules don’t apply to you? I haven’t even decided what your punishment is going to be yet, and you’re already here with your hat in hand.”
“I know that you’re upset with me. I know that you don’t agree with what I did, or how I did it. I’m here because someone I love is in danger, and you are the only person who can help me protect her,” Camden pleaded. “The territory needs to double its security measures if we are going to prevent Flora or anyone else in Silverrose from being harmed by Alpha Sier.”
“Or I could just give him what he wants,” Harold pointed out.
Panic threatened to close Camden’s throat, but he persevered and pushed past the lump in his throat. His uncle did not appreciate weakness. “He won’t stop, even if he gets Flora back. You’re the one who asked us to investigate him, which means you know he is a dangerous man. I will do anything you ask me if you increase security around the pack. I’ll cover the costs of any overtime and resources needed. I’ll fix every single inch of the damaged properties with my own two hands. Please, uncle. Protect your people.”
The alpha narrowed his eyes at Camden, staring at him hard. For what felt like an eternity, the two men stared at each other.
“Fine,” Harold finally said. “You will pay for all of it, but I’ll do as you ask. Not for that woman’s sake, though. For the pack.”
“Thank you,” Camden said, breathing a sigh of relief. As much as he wanted to argue with his uncle about why Flora was worth protecting, he was willing to overlook it if it meant she would be safe.
As he left the pack house, the sunlight felt invigorating. He was excited to head home to let Flora know that his uncle was willing to help with protection, but before he got more than a block, he saw two people who flipped his mood upside down: Stella and Ben Jones. The presence of Flora’s adoptive parents in the middle of town, as if they had done nothing wrong, made Camden’s blood boil with rage.
